NASA will be holding multiple events in celebration of the first year of operation of its James Webb Space Telescope. The events will start this week and continue through the summer, according to a NASA press release.
The James Webb Space Telescope was originally launched in an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket near Kourou, French Guiana, in December 2021, according to NASA. The organization describes the telescope as the “world’s premier space science observatory,” being the largest and most powerful telescope ever constructed.
NASA released the first color images from the telescope on July 12, 2022. At the time, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented, “Today, we present humanity with a groundbreaking new view of the cosmos from the James Webb Space Telescope – a view the world has never seen before.”
Since then, Webb has captured images of distant planets, galaxies, and nebulae and allowed for multiple discoveries and scientific advancements.
One of the most recent discoveries involving the telescope was that of a complex carbon molecule necessary for complex life in another distant nebula as well as the very first images of a star’s inner debris ring, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
During the morning hours of July 12, the anniversary of these first images, NASA will celebrate by releasing a brand-new image captured by the telescope. NASA Webb experts will also gather to discuss the historic impact of the telescope on space exploration and understanding the solar system.
On July 14, NASA will hold another event at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland. Visitors to this event will have the opportunity to partake in a giveaway, a virtual reality experience, and activities for children.
Multiple other unique events will also be held at schools, museums, libraries, and locations across 25 states for the duration of the summer. Each of these events will be free to attend.
Texas will host two of these in-person events this summer. One of these events will be held at the Comfort Public Library in Comfort, Texas, while another will be held at Synergistic STEM Outreach Center in Houston.
